Vaguely Aware
by sierendipity
Summary: A Teddy and Victoire one shot - one of the many twists about what just might have happened just moments before, during and after James Potter's tantalizingly mysterious revelation at King's Cross Station. If you bother to read, I'd love a review :  Thanks


Vaguely Aware

"Merlin, this feels strange."

"Right – normally you're not the one I'm saying g'bye to here."

"I don't like it. It's weird. I should be going."

I inspected my carry-on with raised eyebrows and a smirk. "We could find room," I shrugged, and earned Teddy's appreciative chuckle.

_That's good, Victoire,_ I told myself, _Keep this light. No real emotions allowed._

I wasn't planning on giving any indication to Teddy of how lost I was going to be this year. Who in Merlin's name was going to give me the Ok's for guys I liked? Who was I going to tease about the brainless dolts he decided to date? Who would insist on keeping me from any studying or homework I had to get done by taking me on mad adventures? How was I supposed to sort through the minds of wizards without him there?

"Well I guess I should …" he gestured over his shoulder, still looking at me.

"Right. Bye." I felt suddenly rather irritated with him.

"What is it? What's the matter?"

"You could have encouraged me to chum up with at least _one_ Gryffindor in my year!" I finally said in a huff.

"_What?_"

"Or even a nice Ravenclaw would have sufficed!"

"_Chum up? _Since when have you said-"

"Oh SHUT UP!" I growled at him.

He did.

Except that introduced a new problem since suddenly I had a silence with nothing to fill it. So much for keeping it light.

"I've only ever been friends with your friends," I finally sighed.

"What about all your boyfriends?"

"All in your year. Except that one Hufflepuff who cheated on me with a Slytherin."

"Make new friends, Vic."

"Easier said than done."

"I'll miss you too."

Startled at the sadness in his voice, I glanced up to meet his eyes. They were staring hard at me. Swiftly, he reached out and grabbed me in a rib crushing hug. My arms were pinned to my sides, so I just rested my head on his wide chest. "Your hair looks best when it's blue," I told him, knowing he'd understand my goodbye.

I felt him chuckle.

"I left you a list of hexes to use on wizards getting a little too familiar in your bag," he replied, and tucked my head under his chin.

I pulled back to look at his face again. He was smiling at me as we started to lean in. Before I knew what was happening, my lips were suddenly pressed against his in the sweetest of kisses.

I was vaguely aware that there was somewhere I had to be, soon.

I was vaguely aware of someone gasping.

I was vaguely aware of the distant sound of a train whistle.

I was vaguely aware that there was something wrong with this scene.

I was also painfully aware that his lips were soft, so soft and warm against mine, and one arm had tightened around my waist while the other rested on my cheek. I was painfully aware that his hair felt like silk, and I couldn't resist running my fingers through it over and over again.

I was painfully aware that I really needed to breathe.

I finally pulled away. Like I was feeling, his expression registered shock and a little dizziness. But his eyes - those perfect, chocolate eyes that I had never noticed like this before - were shining.

I smiled, timidly at first, wondering what his reaction would be.

"How did we take seventeen years to figure that out?"

I shrugged, genuinely baffled.

The whistle pierced the air again, shrill and loud.

I pulled back for the last time, a little wide eyed. We caught each other's gaze and busted up laughing. "I can't believe it," he chuckled, then pulled me into one last hug, "Of course it had to happen the year I'm leaving."

"I only have one more year," I grinned, winking playfully.

"Don't look too closely at those seventh year boys – arrogant, the lot of them."

"I'll be sure to remember that," I couldn't believe Teddy and I were flirting.

"This is bizarre," I smiled, glancing at him under my eyelashes.

"Beyond bizarre." He leaned in and pulled me close one more time. I closed my eyes and let myself sink in the feeling of my lips against his.

_My lips against _Teddy's …

When we pulled back, he was staring at me with the strangest look. It was a mixture of confusion, happiness, and resignation. It mirrored my thoughts exactly.

"Don't be a stranger, Victoire," he finally sighed, and gave me a quick hug and peck on the lips. Then he turned and hurried down the aisle. I watched him go, my brow furrowed. I still wasn't quite processing what had just happened.

Suddenly Rosie was running up to me, her cheeks flushed and her eyes wide. "Tell me it's true!" she gasped, staring at me with a dire look that imitated Aunt Hermione's exactly.

"Wait … what?" I replied, shaking out of my Teddy musings.

"Did or did not James just run over here and see you with Teddy …_ snogging_?"

My flushing face must have been answer enough, because her jaw dropped. "WHAT?" Her hands fisted on her hips. "I do not believe it!"

"Neither do I," I smiled back, "But hey, that doesn't necessarily make it a bad thing, does it?"

Without waiting for a reply, I grabbed my bag and made my way to the train for my final year at Hogwarts.


End file.
